Latest Round Of Grant Funding For Workforce Training Initiatives To Include Sanderson Macleod

Continuing with the Patrick Administration’s strategic investments in workforce training initiatives, Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Joanne F. Goldstein announced $3.7 million in Workforce Training Fund General Program Grants. In total, today’s announced grants will provide for the training of 3,273 current and newly hired employees at 39 companies across the Commonwealth. The grants, which are for up to two years, serve as a resource for businesses to increase the skill set of their incumbent employees and provide valuable training to the workers. As a result of these awarded grants, participating companies expect to create 242 new jobs by the end of 2015.

Sanderson MacLeod, a global leader in the manufacturing of twisted-wire-brushes, has been included in the grant recipients. “It’s an honor to be chosen by the State to receive grant funding that will help train our employees to be the best at what they do,” said Mark Borsari, President of Sanderson MacLeod. Borsari continued, “We are very proud to be among the largest employers in Western Massachusetts. Our product (twisted-wire- brushes) is domestically produced and every step of the manufacturing process happens here in Palmer, Massachusetts.” Sanderson MacLeod plans on using the grant funds to establish and deliver training programs that will help employees of the company achieve higher levels of success.

“If we are going to manufacture domestically, and compete globally, we need to have the best trained, most productive workforce in the world,” said former grant recipient Michael Detarando, INCOM President & CEO. “The Workforce Training Fund is an invaluable resource in the process toward achieving that goal and keeping manufacturing jobs here in Massachusetts.”

“We continue to promote the Workforce Training Fund because it is an effective model that encourages the business community to train and retrain employees, helping Massachusetts companies stay competitive in today’s global and innovative economy,” said Secretary Goldstein. “Over the last several years, we have seen many companies succeed thanks to these training grants and we look forward to more companies growing and excelling as a result of these grants and training initiatives.”

“The manufacturing sector is an important component of the Southern Central Massachusetts economy,” said Senator Richard T. Moore, Senate Chair of the Legislature’s Manufacturing Caucus.

“Workforce development is critical to sustaining this industry, and keeping businesses in Massachusetts, especially as current employees age and jobs open up. Future candidates must be trained to fulfill those positions, and these grants will go a long way to fulfill that need.”

This project is funded by a Workforce Training Fund grant through the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. The grant program is administered by the Commonwealth Corporation.